New Taliban leader Haibatullah Akhundzada has called on the United States to end its "occupation" of Afghanistan, in his first public message since being appointed the militant group's chief in May.
"Admit the realities instead of useless use of force and muscle...and put an end to the occupation," Akhundzada said in a statement on the eve of Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim festival marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.
Akhundzada, who was named leader of the movement after the death of his predecessor, Mullah Akhtar Mansur in a U.S. drone strike in May, said a political agreement was possible if Kabul renounced its foreign allies.
"Your support and siding with invaders is like the work of those abhorrent faces who in our past history supported the British and the Soviets," he said, in reference to the wars Afghanistan fought against the British in the 19th and 20th centuries and the Soviet occupation of the 1980s.
NATO leaders will meet at a summit in Warsaw on July 8-9 where they are expected to approve maintaining support for the Kabul government up to 2020.
Editors' Picks
Afghanistan/Pakistan Trending
1
Teenage TikTok Star's Killing Sparks Outrage Over Violence Against Women In Pakistan
2As US Ends Protected Status For Afghans, Thousands Face Deportation And Persecution
3Afghan Female Athletes Flee Taliban Only To Face New Hurdles In Pakistan
4The Taliban's Latest Target? Religious Scholars Who Speak Out
5UN Alarmed By Surge In Deportations Of Afghan Families From Iran
6Trump's Travel Ban Deals New Blow To 'Stranded' Afghans
7A Doctor's Mission To Help At-Risk Infants And Mothers In Rural Pakistan
8Unreliable Medical Tests Force Afghans To Seek Treatment Abroad
9Afghan Women Fear They Have Fallen Off West’s Radar Amid Global Conflicts, Aid Cuts
10Afghan Survivors Speak Out: What The Taliban Does To Imprisoned Women
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.
